In its latest jobs report, released Oct. 6, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics found that total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 336,000 in September, and the unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.8%, bucking predictions of a slowdown.
In fact, this is above the average monthly gain of 267,000 over the prior 12 months.
In Jacksonville, the unemployment rate stands at 3%, a change of 0.2% from a year ago, in what continues to be an employee’s market.
That said, Q3 has been uncharacteristically slower than usual for hiring at supervisory levels, at least in the local market.
“The third quarter has been a little slower than the past 20 years that I’ve been recruiting,” said Sonia Postema, owner of the Patrice & Associates franchise for this region. The firm handles recruitment for positions considered to be supervisory and above, rather than hourly jobs.
Typically, Q4 and Q1 are slower for recruitment. The former falls during onset of the holidays when potential hires are busy and employers are solidifying their budgets for the coming year. At the same time, Q1 occurs at a time when businesses are assessing the previous year and potential hires are waiting for bonuses to be paid out before making a change.
So, Q2 and Q3 tend to be busier hiring seasons, though for the individual worker, that could depend on the sector in which he or she is working. That’s why slower recruitment for the past quarter has been a bit of a surprise.
Postema, who previously worked in human resources, shared some valuable tips for both job applicants and employers.
For those seeking to move up one day, she suggested getting to know the desired position and honing one’s skillset to qualify for that position.
“One of the mistakes that many people make, no matter where they are in their career, is they apply for jobs that they’re not really qualified for,” she said.
Whether it’s an internal promotion or an external move, Postema said, “Educate yourself.”
“You know how they always say, ‘Dress for the job you want?’” she said. “Well, I would say, ‘Learn for the job that you want.’”
Likewise, it’s important to do some research before going into an interview.
“(Interviewees) need to know about the company enough to speak intelligently about it,” Postema said. “They need to look at the job description and write out bullet points that reflect the job description.”
These points should address whatever the employer says it expects of the employee.
“That way, when you’re in the interview, you don’t have to draw a blank,” Postema said. “You’re not trying to figure out these answers while you’re interviewing.”
And she said it’s perfectly OK to bring a pen and pad to the interview.
She also recommends applicants have at least three or four questions they can ask the company.
For employers, Postema has some suggestions, as well.
“The employers that I like to work with are those who are transparent about their company and their interviewing process,” she said. “If you know that the process is going to take four weeks and involves six interviews and two assessments, tell people that up front.”
Make sure applicants understand what they are committing to and what the culture is like at the company.
These interviews are just as much an opportunity for applicants to judge their fit as it is the company’s.
Patrice & Associates began as a hospitality recruiting company but has grown to about 125 franchisees working in a variety of different fields. Postema said she works predominantly with construction, manufacturing, technology, education and hospitality, but she can work with other franchisees with strengths in other fields.
“We really search high and low for A-plus candidates,” she said. “And we have stringent requirements with our candidates to make sure that we’re presenting the highest quality to our employers.”
All of her fees are paid by her clients, some who contact her and others she seeks out herself. Thus, she doesn’t charge job candidates who are seeking help with their resumes or the hiring process, though she doesn’t actually place them.
For more information about Patrice & Associates, go to patriceandassociates.com.
